Page 126 of Tears of Glass

“Yes.”

Shit. A sob I can’t control builds in my chest, forcing itself to the surface. I walk for the door, forcing my head to remain high. He’s pushing me away because I hurt him. I’ve wronged him. In my moment of desperation back in the summer I hurt him in a way I never could have guessed at.

I open the door, turning to face him. “You will always be my best friend, Dan. I hope you remember that soon.”

He nods just once, and I walk out straight into Eli’s arms.

“What are you doing?” My legs tremble.

“What the fuck are you doing? You promised me you’d never run again.” His eyes blaze wild, his lips pressed into a harsh line I don’t recognise.

“Eli, it’s too much for me. I can’t belong there, or with you. We’re from different worlds.” My heart hammers but my mouth is saying the truth.

“You speak absolute shit, Faith. You run when things get a little bit hard. You refuse to fight.”

A scorching red flame kindles inside me. “Don’t you fucking dare talk to me like that.”

“What?” He rounds into my space, and the small doorway seems to shrink around us. “Don’t tell you the truth? Give it to you straight?” He sighs and scrubs a hand through his hair. “Yes, I will. Because I love you. You. Everything about you. And I don’t care what anyone else thinks, I don’t care what gets thrown at us. That’s what love is. It’s everything. It’s every damn thing I feel about you and nothing else.”

Tears spring down my cheeks. “I care, Eli. I care what other people think when they see us together, and I will never be able to switch that off. I will always be dragging you down. People will see me and think that you’ve settled. They will feel sorry for the intelligent man with the kind heart who is with someone like me.”

I push past him. I can’t look at his face, at the hurt and anger there. Dan slams the door on us with a reverberating bang. It’s like I’ve lost everything I’ve ever had. A hollow aching emptiness settles in my chest and I battle for breath. There is no air left.

“Faith. Will you stop walking away from me!” Eli calls after me, but I can’t focus on it, can’t grasp it, can’t hold myself steady in the storm that’s pulling me in every direction.

“Well, well, well, Faithy Hitchin, making a scene.” I blink into the dim light watching a shape materialise from the shadows. Not just one shape, more.

Aiden and the same group of friends that tormented me at school for years.

“Fuck off, Aiden.”

From behind me there’s a harsh hiss and before Aiden can even work his mouth into one of his smug comebacks, Eli has launched forwards, his body smacking into Aiden like a bulldozer.

“No!” The scream rips from me. “No!” I’ve seen this before. Heard the crunch of bone and witnessed the spurt of blood.

“DAN!” I scream as loudly as I possibly can, my throat ripping with the sound, hoping that Dan will still be by his front door and able to hear me. Eli lands a tight punch to Aiden’s nose and he doubles over, blood squirting between his fingers.

“You fucking prick.” Aiden’s words are muffled but still clear.

Eli kicks out at him with his foot, knocking him off balance. “You’re scum, stay away from her.” It’s the last thing he gets to say because in a swarm Aiden’s cronies launch themselves on him, quickly bringing him down. Fists and feet flying, as they lay into him.

“Dan!” I scream again and then push myself forward trying to get to Eli.

A punch lands on my cheek. My eye feels like it’s close to exploding, but I push further and further trying to get to Eli on the ground. Covered in blood, he’s groaning and gurgling, but I lay myself on top of him, happy to take the hits instead of him. They don’t come. One by one, the attacking bodies are pulled away and the air around us clears. I sweep my fingers along his face, wiping at the dirt and blood. “Eli, Eli.” My tears land on his skin, mixing with the blood.

“Faith, come on, let’s get him inside.” Dan lifts me off Eli like a rag doll, and on trembling legs I watch as he lifts Eli and walks him back into the house. Aiden and his crew have run and by fuck they better be far away. Murder boils in my veins, uncontrollable and furious. I want vengeance for everything they’ve ever done to me, but for hurting Eli more than anything else.

Dan places Eli on the sofa and heads to kitchen, returning with hot water and towels. I kiss and murmur half-whispered prayers to Eli. “I’m sorry.” I blink at my tears, wiping my nose with the back of my hand. “This is what happens to the people around me.”

His busted lip curves in the smallest of smiles and I breathe a sigh of relief. His fingers catch my wrist and he brings my palm to his lips.

I start when Dan shifts behind me. “You really love him,” he states, but it’s not a question.

I swallow painfully. “Yes.”

“So fight for him, like he does for you.” I turn slightly and meet Dan’s gaze.

“I’m sorry.”